Skip to Content

How Much Chopped Onion Equals One Onion

How Much Chopped Onion Equals One Onion

How Much Chopped Onion Equals One Onion?

The size of an onion decides how much of it will equal it in chopped form. Chopped onions filling half of a cup equals to one small-sized onion only. For medium-sized onions, one whole cup of chopped onion equals to one medium onion. Lastly, one large-sized onion equals one and a half cups of chopped onions.

Recipes will frequently call for a single small, medium, or large onion, with no guidance on how many cups should be made from those sizes in chopped onions. In general, a large onion is roughly the size of a one-cup measuring cup, a medium onion will be roughly the size of a one-half-cup measuring cup, and a small onion will be roughly the size of a 1/4-cup measuring spoon. In general, if you were to chop up one large onion, that would produce about 3 cups of chopped onions. It is important to know the onion weight, because if the recipe calls for medium onions, and you do not have those, how much large onion you would be adding will be determined by weight.

If a recipe calls for 1 cup finely chopped onions, that will require around 3 full medium onions, whereas if a larger sliced size is desired, about 2 would work. Next time a recipe calls for a cup of chopped onions, you will be sure to know how many different types of onions you will need.

TypesSize
Large OnionRoughly the size of a one-cup measuring cup
Medium Onion Roughly the size of a one-half-cup measuring cup
Small OnionSmall onion will be roughly the size of a 1/4-cup measuring spoon
Types of onions and the size they are equal to of a measuring cup.

To substitute dried minced onions for fresh onions, you will want to know that for a recipe calling for 1 cup of chopped fresh onions, you could substitute 3 tablespoons of dried minced onions because they are far stronger. Substituting fresh onions with dried minced onions works really well for some dishes, whereas for some dishes, using dried minced onions instead of fresh onions is just not a great idea. Onion powder is three times stronger than dried onions, so you will substitute just 1 tablespoon of onion powder for 1 cup of fresh onions.

Learn how to cut onions like a pro

Keep in mind that garlic powder has approximately 3 times more flavor than onion powder, and it can overpower the taste of your dishes if used excessively. You will have to use more shallots than if you used onion powder in the recipe, about 4 times. In fact, you would need 3 times as many onions just to recreate the same flavours as what the onion powder gives. If you are using fresh onions, and your recipe calls for 1 tbsp of onion powder, then you need to use about 1 medium chopped onion.

Whether you chop, mince, or grate your onion, it will perform as well as the onion powder in spicing up your dishes. Chopping is also a great way to chop onions if you really want them to be an obvious part of your dishes, so that you will get a lot of onion flavor.

The best way to cut onions depends on the recipe, so it is best to know all three. I usually slice onions just like if I was cutting them into cubes or dice, only larger pieces. After cutting the onion in half, you can then recut a half of the entire onion and only cut off one-fourth of the onion. If you do not want to slice all the onions at once, simply start with only enough for your needs.

Once you are done with cutting, keep the onions out of sight until you need to put them in the dishes. Stir the chopped onions to ensure that all of them are coated with butter and olive oil. Stir frequently, and cook until the chopped onions are aromatic and translucent.

If you’re interested in Is Butter Allowed on Keto, take a look at my other article.

Otherwise, place the smaller pieces onto a baking tray and bake them at 350 degrees F for about an hour. Slice onion slices the same way you did above, but cut 1/4-inch slices (or smaller, if recipe calls for them). Check on the onion every few hours, reversing the onion over several times, if necessary, to help dry it out quicker.

Peel and slice onion, using knife or mandoline (for uniform slices), at up to 1/8-inch (3mm) thick. Chopped or cut onions can be stored in sealed containers in your fridge for up to 7 days. Once the onion has been cut any way, it needs to be stored in the fridge. Do not store cut onions, whether they are raw or cooked, in metal containers or bowls, because the chopped onions will stain metal.

If you are making soup or stew, and realize at the last minute you are short on fresh diced onions it calls for, you can use substitutes so that you will still get that oniony taste. For example, for dishes that require that crisp, raw onion texture, this substitution will not work, but for soups and stews, where the fresh onions will get cooked in anyway, this substitute works really well.

Finely chopped shallots are not ideal for recipes that call for dry-spice blends, but they can be used to give onions a kick in other dishes. You can use any onions you like, although they all will impact flavor differently. Because onions are dry, in most cases, you want to incorporate them into the liquid ingredients. You could use 1 tablespoon of minced onion from the can for 1 teaspoon of onion powder, but if you are going for larger amounts, you will want to use less than what you would use with onion chips (see the conversions at the end of this post).

If you already have onions ground up, and are trying to figure out how much you would need to make it equivalent to one smaller onion, use a one-cup measuring method. One cup of onion mashed is going to be enough to equal one medium size onion, which is about the size of an avocado. Like most fruits and vegetables, how many onions it takes to make a cup depends on how finely chopped it is.

Five teaspoons of drained onions, soaked in equal amounts of water, yields 1/4 cup of chopped onions. Larger onions–about the size of pomegranates–will yield 12 ounces, or 1 1/2 cups, in chopped form. We all slice onions when adding them to recipes, but there is a huge difference in how small we slice them if we are mincing instead of cutting.

If you’re interested in How To Separate Frozen Bread Slices, take a look at my other article.

The recipe you are going to make calls for a 1/2 cup of just-cut onions, and you look in your refrigerator, larder, or pantry (or anywhere else you keep onions) and the onions you thought you had are not there. Dried chopped onions and onion powder are NOT the same — though both begin life as fresh onions — and you need to know how much of them to substitute for the fresh ones, otherwise, your finished food will taste like OINE. Dried onions come in two forms: flakes and powdered — although powdered is what you will most frequently see on the spice aisle.

Are dried onions as good as fresh ones?

Dehydrated onions are one of the healthiest options compared to most other flavoring agents because they provide a variety of essential nutrients and little sodium, fat, or calories. Commonly used in recipes, dehydrated onions serve to intensify the flavor of food.

When a recipe calls for 1 onion how much is that?

There are several recipes that call for large, medium, and small onions. A large onion is normally the size of a 1-cup measuring cup, a medium onion is comparable to a half-cup measure, and a small onion is comparable to a 1/4 cup.

How do you use frozen chopped onions?

It’s just simple to use your frozen onions as it is to use freshly diced onions. A frozen onion will release more water when cooking than a fresh onion, which is the only clear difference. To allow that moisture to evaporate, you may need to adjust the cooking durations.

Skip to content